Together
by Aerlys
Summary: Taking place during episode 7. We see them in the Bois Jacques and how they took Noville.
1. Chapter 1: duties

A/N: It's my first story of Band of Brothers, and as I'm french, please be nice with me. ) This is only a story coming from my imagination so nothing of this happened (I think you know that but you never know!). This take place during episode 7. Hope you'll enjoy this story.

Together

"Doc?" a voice called. Was it him, the person was calling? He continued to walk in the white snow, looking at his boots. He always heard people calling him like that, but was he really a medic? Trying to save young soldiers' life, but often seeing life getting out of their body. He had always thought he was doing his best to save them but a sudden doubt came to his mind after Renée told him that her gift was too painfull to be a gift of God.

Was he really trying to save them? Was he doing what he should do?

"Hey, Eugene!" The same voice called again, taking Roe out of his trance. He looked up and saw Babe looking back at him. "Are you alright?" He asked, concerned in his voice.

Eugene looked at him, not saying a word, as if he was just realising where he was. They were still walking towards their next destination. After a minute, he slowly nodded.

"Are you sure? You haven't said a word since we left Bastogne." He said, quite believing his nodd. Eugene could see in his eyes the anxiety.

After all Doc had done for him, Babe feel like he owed him something and that he had to be here for him. He didn't really knew what pushed him to do this except the sensation of owing him something but he felt like there was a sort of friendship between them.

"Nah... it's nothing..." Eugene murmured, not wanting to speak about this to Heffron.

Babe sighed and looked in front of him, not wanting to push as he saw that Doc wasn't in the mood. They continued to walk in an almost silence, only hearing the sound of their boots walking on the soft snow.

They finally arrived at the Bois Jacques near Foy, and regained their foxhole. Lots of trees were half destroyed around them and silent fell on the company, as they observed the trees.

After everybody regained their foxhole, the laughs and the sounds of discussions started rising in the air.

"Hey Frank will you stop brushing your teeth for a moment, you're driving me mad with it." Luz said, who was holding a mug of coffee. They were in the same big foxhole deep in earth.

"Shit, I do what I want okay?" Perconte replied, between his teeth. And he continued to brush his teeth as if George hadn't said anything.

"It remind me when the new ones were giving the remplacements a lesson about how to use a rasors." Luz said, half laughing.

"No kidding?" Muck asked, with a smile. "How to use a rasors... They really have nothing to--"

"Hey George!" Perconte called, cutting Muck in what he was saying.

"Frank! Even if I got two ears I can only listen to one person okay?" Luz replied, sounding angry.

Then he took a sip of his coffee. "Fuck!" He yelled, taking the mug out of his mouth.

"That was what I wanted to tell you..." Frank said, and he shrugged. "Nobody listen to me..."

"What's going on?" Muck asked.

"As if Kraut's artillery wasn't enough they're trying to kill us with this thing which is suppose to be coffee!" He exclaimed putting down his mug on the floor.

Muck took it and smell it. "Shit, they call that coffee?" He said, while sniffing and he put it down.

"At least it's hot..." Penkala said, smoking his cigaret.

"Hey where did you get it?" Muck asked him, while pointing at the smoke.

Then they heard a loud sound and a mortar fell not far from them. "Incoming!" Lipton voice shouted.

They all keep their heads in the hole and put their hands on their head, waiting for it to stop. Their heart beated faster as they heard the mortar falling a little bit everywhere around them. Fear rising in their chests, hoping that they or their friends won't get any mortar. They heard trees explosing around them, it was terrible how easy the Kraut's artillery could destroy all of this.

Then as fast as it came, the mortars stopped and everything went silent. They slowly breath, taking back their composure and they looked around. They could hear a couple of soldiers yelling for a medic. And they looked at each others, asking with the look if it was finish.

"Fucking Krauts..." Luz murmured, while changing of position, making him more comfortable in the foxhole.

Some minutes later, after making sure there weren't an other barrage, Muck looked around and put a leg out of the foxhole. "I'm going to have at least a little sleep!" Muck said and he started walking.

"Hey Muck, wait for me!" Penkala shouted while running after him.

"Bye guys." Franck said to them, finally taking his toothbrush out of his mouth.

As the night slowly fall, some soldiers fall asleep. Babe was walking among the foxhole, hearing men snoring. He finally arrived at Doc's foxhole. Eugene was fixing a point in his hole, deep in thought.

"Hey, Doc!" Babe said while joining him in the foxhole. He looked at him but it seemed that Doc didn't noticed him.

"Hey!" Heffron put his hand on Eugene's shoulder, to gain his attention. Doc blinked, finally coming back on earth and looked up at Babe.

"Tell me what's going on?" Babe asked him, putting his other hand on Doc's shoulder, then he wouldn't try to avoid him.

"I told you, nothing..."

"Hey, I know that something is bothering you. I'm maybe not very observer but I'm not that blind."

Babe was worried about him and that was something which really heat his heart. Since D-Day he had always been alone, but now, something had change. He felt more close to Heffron than he had ever been. A smile appeared on his lips. Now he knew why he did this, why he was a medic. It wasn't to save soldiers, it was to save comrades, and friends. And at least he was doing his best to save them.

Heffron looked at him in disbelieved, just a minute before, Eugene was deep in thought as if something was wrong and now he was smiling at him. Then Babe smiled too, pleased to see his friend happy, at least now.

He took a pack of cigaret out of his pocket and handed it to Doc. He took one of them and Babe lighted it. "Thanks."

And they stayed there, smoking in rather silence.

Some days later, there had been lots of barrage of mortars. One of them had hit Toye and Guarnere, and an other one had killed Muck and Penkala. The men of Easy Company had lost lots of comrades, it had been very tought for all the men. Feeling this emptiness in their heart as some of them lost their best friends, knowing that they won't hear their jokes, and speak with them about everything. But they had to stay together and they knew that.

After taking Foy, the Easy Company walked deep in Belgium and went in direction of Noville. The weather was still icy, and snow was still falling.

"Is it always night in Belgium?" Talbert said, while walking in the snow.

"I don't care if it's night, all I want is a smoke..." Liebgott replied, and he snorted. "Fuck..."

"Sorry, I don't have any more." Luz said.

Then a soldier next to them fall in the snow and they heard bullets flying around them. "Incoming!" A soldier yelled. "Take cover! Take cover!"

All the soldiers ran towards a ditch which wasn't far away. They all took their weapons and fired. The sudden of the attack surprised all of them. Bullets and mortars were passing over their heads or falling in front of them, making loud sounds. It was difficult to hear what the others were saying. Everybody had this pain in their chest but they all knew what they had to do. It was war, and they mustn't be scared.

"Luz, radio, come here!" Speirs' voice shouted.

Then a mortar fell not far from the ditch. "Medic!" Babe yelled and Doc arrived in a rush.

"Who had been hit?" He asked while arriving.

"It's Lieb!"

"Oww, fuck... It hurts..." Liebgott moaned, looking at his shoulder.

"Don't worry, ain't that bad..." Eugene replied while looking at the wound.

"Hope so!"

"Keep firing! Keep firing!" A voice yelled not very far away.

Bullets keep passing between the forest and the ditch where they were. Mortars explosing a little bit everywhere on the snowy plain. They could hear bullets whistled next to their ears and soldiers firing their weapons.

"We need more ammo!" Popeye yelled, changing of ammo his weapon.

"Keep on it! Keep on it!" Martin shouted, while firing.

"Fox and Doc Company are on our right flank." Speirs said who wasn't very far while looking at his right to see if they really were there.

"Damn it! How many are they?" Grant asked, as they saw more Krauts in the woods.

They could see numerous silhouettes and tanks. It looked like they were much more than them.

"What are we supposed to do against all of them?" Talbert shouted, in disbelieved.

Then they heard over their heads, planes flying. They bombed the edge of the wood and the Krauts started to fall back.

"I think that's the answer!" Babe said while looking at the planes.

He looked back at Liebgott who had a bandage on the shoulder and was breathing loudly. Doc was next to him and looking at the wood.

"You're gonna be fine in no time." Eugene said, and patted Liebgott's not wounded shoulder.

Liebgott nodded and snorted. And everything went silent, there weren't any silhouettes or tanks and the planes had left now.

"We're gonna spend the night here." Winters said to Speirs who nodded. "They would maybe attack again."

The night had now fell on the plain, and Easy Company was now in the large ditch. Snowflakes were falling on them and wind was blowing.

"Damn it, it's still cold like hell!" Malarkey said, while tightening more his coat.

"No, it's too damn cold to be in hell..." Luz murmured. He was laying in the ditch, leaning back on the earth.

"Hey, Lieb do you want a smoke?"

"Where did you find it?" Joe asked him, surprised.

"A remplacant of the third Platoon." Malarkey answered while handing Liebgott a cigaret and he lighted it.

Far away in the plain, they could see some lights of a town. It was not very small but it wasn't as big as Foy. They all knew that they were going to attack it and were all dreading doing it.


	2. Chapter 2: fear and courage

A/N: I'm really really really really sorry. I updated a very very very very long time after the first chapter. Well, this is because it's not verry easy for me, and because inspiration doesn't always obey me! Please forgive me, and I will try to update more faster. Okay, hope you'll enjoy this.

The man of the 506th were in the cold and muddy ditch, near the wood and far from the town. That wouldn't be very easy to cross the field under the firing of the ennemy, but everybody was trying to put it in the back of their mind, laughing and discussing to forget it. But it seemed that some of them were really focussed on the mission.

"Does anybody know how this town is call?" Shifty asked as he looked at it over the ditch.

"Don't know..." Bull answered. "Luz?" He asked, waking up a snoring George.

"We can't sleep quietly here..." Luz said angrily, half asleep and he yawned. "What?"

"Do you know which town is it?" Shifty asked again, while pointing at the town which was far in the plain.

"I think I've heard Noville or something like that." Luz replied airily and went back to sleep.

"How can he sleep in that cold?" Malarkey asked, looking at a completely asleep Luz who was starting to snore again. "And he snores..." He added while rolling his eyes.

"You know, half the company snore." Shifty replied, with a smile. "Asked Frank, he told me he couldn't sleep in the same foxhole than Popeye or Talbert."

And they all laughed, even Bull laughed knowing that he snored too. Even if the snow and the cold were freezing them, it didn't stopped them from laughing. Making the time past faster and happier after everything happened, it was the best they could do to comfort them. Moment like that were precious and they make them feel better. That made them stay together, and be more strong during the tought moment.

"I can smell food..." Popeye observed, while looking around to see if anybody was eating.

"Maybe it's one of Doc or Fox Company." Liebgott replied, smoking his cigaret.

"Can't they share a little bit?" Babe said, and snorted.

Talbert who was just sitting next to Liebgott, frowned, he sniffed a little and looked around. "I can't smell food."

"Anyway you never smell anything." Martin said to Floyd who smirk.

"Maybe you don't smell it, but I do." Popeye replied, he stood up and looked around. "Hey you!" He called and ran over an other soldier.

Liebgott looked at him amused, he shook his head and smiled. "He's unbelievable."

"Hey fellas, see what I found!" Popeye said as he came back, holding a chocolate bar. "I think I'm gonna start to love those remplacements." He was looking at it as if it was something really precious. "Do you want some?"

"Now I can smell it." Floyd said as he took the piece of chocolate Popeye was handing him.

Martin looked at Popeye in disbelieve. "I'm starting to think that you can only smell food." Then he shook his head when Popeye handed him some of the chocolate bar. "I've got delicate teeth..." He said while looking at the frozen chocolate with a small smile.

Popeye gave Liebgott and Heffron a piece of chocolate too and they ate in relative silence, as they appreciated the taste of food and in front of a disbelieved Martin who didn't know how they could eat this.

Winters and Nixon were looking at a map, drinking some coffee over it. "Okay, so tomorrow, we're gonna have E Company and D Company attacking Noville." Winters said while showing where the two companies were going to pass. "F Company will be on reserve."

"There'll be a German company over there, plus the company which is in the wood." Nixon added, pointing at the wood which was close of the ditch. "But I don't think they'll be very dangerous for us, well at first. But Fox can handle it."

Winters nodded and looked up the map to see the soldiers of Easy Company who were discussing, laughing and sleeping. After taking Foy, he was wondering if the company will be enough strong to take the town, but after looking a long time, he knew the men will be able to attack. He knew they were strong together, and that they won't let each other alone.

The morning slowly appeared in the horizon, taking place of the cold and dark night which was still occupying mostly of the sky. The soldiers were waiting for the assault of the little town. They were looking at each other, trying to find some comfort in the eyes of the others, or looking at the town like if they were examining it. The front was completely silent, they could only heard some whispers from hither and thither.

"Okay, Speirs, you and Easy Company are going first, okay?" Winters said.

Speirs nodded and looked at his men. "Get ready Easy Company!"

Then he looked back at Noville, which was completely white, covered of fresh snow and wind blowing on the surrounding trees.

"How can we fight in this cold?" Babe asked to Talbert who shrugged and they looked at Speirs to wait for his orders.

He took a deep breath and ran out of the ditch, all the soldiers of E Company followed him and ran towards the town. Their mind were fixed on Noville, in a hurry to finish the attack but also dreading it. Joe Liebgott was running, not knowing how long had he been running, hearing step after step. His shoulder was hurting him a little bit, but he was a soldier! He had to be strong, to help the others to the detriment of his life, it was that to be in a company of brothers.

As they arrived near the town, they started to hear bullets passing, fear raising in their chests. Some soldiers were falling, dead. But they were moving more forward, following Speirs. The emotions soldiers felt at these moments are quite strange, nobody could really know what really was that weight in their stomach which was trying to paralize them. But even with it, they kept running in the coldness of the winter.

"Keep moving! Don't stop!" Lipton shouted to encourage the soldiers.

Then they finally entered in Noville. Liebgott ran towards the wall of a house and hide behind it, joining Malarkey. He started to shoot at the windows of a house where there were snipers shooting back at them.

Speirs was with Luz hiding behind the wall of an other house. "Alley! I want you to launch mortars on that building! The snipers are stopping us." He yelled to Alley who nodded.

They sent two mortars on the building which exploded and there weren't any shot coming from it, only grey smoke was escaping from it, going in the wintry sky.

"Foley, Lipton, first and second platoons take the right road, third platoon, after me!" Speirs ordered and everybody obeyed.

Foley led the two platoons slowly into the deserted long street along the walls, observing the houses around. "Heffron, Grant!" He said while showing the first house on the left.

Babe and Grant ran towards the main door, slammed it and entered. They walked in a room which looked like a living room and looked around. It was so dusty that they at first thought the wallpapers were grey. Except from the shots in the streets, the house was completely silent, like if they were deafs. Grant turned around to face Heffron and showed the ceiling, wanting to mean "the second floor". Babe looked at him and nodded in response.

They carefully walked towards the stairs and went upstairs. Slowly walking to the first room, holding their rifles in front of them. Suddenly, Babe fell on the floor, his hand on his right leg. The coldness of the bullets had surprised Heffron, he wouldn't have thought it would feel like that, being shot. Grant quickly aimed his rifle towards where the shot came from and started to fire. Then they heard two loud sounds as if two big things had felt on the floor, they were dead.

Grant was breathing loudly, relieved of being alive. Then he turned to see a grimacing Heffron who was suffering. "Where are you hit?"

"At my fucking leg..." Babe answered, taking off his hand of his wounded leg.

Grant passed his right arm behind Babe's back and help him to get up. "Okay, come on, I'm gonna take you out."

During this time, the battle was still going on and the Easy Company was moving into the Germans' lines. The hearts pounding very fast, the soldiers were fighting bravely even if the fear was present in their mind and heart. Only hearing their soldiers duty and courage.

"Talbert! Take Shifty and Christenson, and clean those houses!" Speirs ordered to him, hiding behind a wall with two others soldiers, while showing some houses at their right.

Talbert looked at him and nodded, taking the head of the little team, he ran towards the first house, without hesitating. Christenson threw a grenade in the window, they waited 'till it exploded and ran into the building. Then musketries were being shots, coming from the house. They ran out of it and did the same with the next house and the next house.

Little by little, Easy Company was taking over the town, chasing the German who were starting to pull out. Close behind them was Doc Company who was clearing the east of the village.

Ahead in the street, a machine gun was firing at the soldiers who were trying to cross the street, blocking the troops at this intersection. The street were dark and red, red for the blood, the blood of the soldiers, coming from their wounded body lying on the ground. They had to get rid of it before it killed more paratroopers. Lipton was looking at the street, trying to find an idea how to stop this. Then he looked up and noticed the building not far from them.

"Perconte, Skinny! Go in that building and try to get rid of this machine gun!" He shouted at them, pointing at the house in question.

They nodded and ran into the building, Perconte showed the stairs to Skinny and they went upstairs. Then Skinny led them towards the room which was facing the building in which one was the machine gun.

"Perconte, the window!" Skinny exclaimed while running towards it. They opened it and focused the target, they took time to aim at the silhouettes and they started firing. They got two of them at the first turn, but there was still two Krauts. Unfortunately, the Germans found out where the gun shoots came from and the machine gun aimed towards them.

"Shit, Skinny! Lay down! Lay down!" Perconte yelled just in time, before they started firing. They crouched down and waited until they stopped.

Lipton and Foley who were in the street, saw the machine gun aiming at an other target, he was at first relieved, but a sudden feeling crossed his mind, a sort of little pain mixed with worries. The Krauts were firing on Perconte and Skinny, they have to find an idea to kill them before Perconte and Skinny got killed, if it wasn't already the case. Then Foley got an idea, he looked at the street, finding how to do it. He turned around to face Lipton.

"Lip', take someone, go in the street behind this house and do the round of it. You will arrived in the main street where the Krauts are. Walk slowly, hugging the wall, then they won't see you. Grenade, and you enter in it." Foley ordered, while pointing at the house next to them, to the first-sergeant who nodded in response.

'Bright idea' Thought Lipton, he wasn't sure if he would have think of it. He turned to look at the paratroopers behind them. "Martin, with me!"

John Martin followed his fellow soldier to the back and they turned at the corner, behind the house. "Follow me, we're going back to the main road, but by this street, then we will go towards the building were the Krauts are and have them."

The sergeant nodded in response and follow Lipton towards the main road. They slowly and silently ran towards the building. Lipton could heard his breath and Martin's breath, the two of them breathing loudly as they dreaded it but they had to be fast, their comrades lives were indangered.

When the two paratroopers finally reached the grey and cold wall of the building, covered of powder and dust, the first sergeant Lipton looked back at Martin, making sure he was ready. But it was war, and in war you aren't ready for all of this, you can make people think you are, but you're never. Then he turned back to look at the window from where he could see the machine gun firing, he walked carefully towards it and dropped a grenade in it. He quickly put his hand over his ears and waited for it. The explosion was loud and silent came just after it. As if the bomb had defeated the sound. Martin passed in front of Lipton and entered into it, looking if there was any Germans who survived the blast, and fired as one of them started moving.

From just across the street, Perconte slowly raised the head up, looking around to make sure if it was secured now. As the gun shots had stopped he got back to his feet and help Skinny to get up. It had been close, close to death. Each soldier in the company had to be prepared of this possibility, but this feeling of fear mixted with shocked always surprised you in those situations, for every man in the world it's the same rule, the same feelings.

They walked towards the stairs, staggering a little at first, trying to compose their mind and they walked down the stairs. They joined back the others of the first and second platoons who looked at them a little worried about them. They tried to comfort them, but they started to be okay, as Perconte was beggining to laugh at a tease one of the soldier told him.

"What were you thinking, in my little arms I can hide a lot of muscles." Perconte said to the paratroopers around him who laughed.

"Be carefull, the small Perconte came to boot your ass!" Replied ironicaly Skinny who was just next to them.

"Hey, you can say this, but you're not even bigger than me!" His fellow little paratrooper responded, still smiling.

Lipton who was looking at them, a smile across his face. He was relieved that Perconte and Skinny were doing good, well they were even great. Soldiers moods were important in war, it kept them closer and make them focused on their mission. The war depended on it, and above all depended on them.


	3. Chapter 3: links

A/N: Here's the new chapter of my story. Well I think it's gonna be the last chapter, because I'm also writing a fanfic of CSI: NY, so it's quite difficult for me to write two story at the same time. But I will write an other fanfic on BoB as soon as possible okay? I already have the idea!

Oh, before I forget, in the previous chapter, there were Perconte, but he was hit in Foy so he shouldn't be there, but well let's say he wasn't wounded in this fanfic.

Well now enough notes and here the end of the story! Hope you've enjoyed it.

The battle was still raging in the dusty and bloody street of the little town of Noville. The soldiers, listening to the orders given, were starting to make the Germans pull back. Moving forward into the city, trying to kill the ennemy before them, the Americans were fighting bravely. War is never easy, for anybody. Death wasn't the only end that could happened, the wounds wore by the soldiers on their shapes and in their spirit never healed. But the paratroopers of the Easy Company weren't really fully aware of this, or only a weak voice in their mind told them this. The only thing that was important for them now, was to protect and give their lives for their friends, for their brothers. The union that link soldiers during war can't be describe, but it overtop everything they knew. It wasn't love, but something else which really looked like it. They could have give their lives for the other, and some of them had done it. That was what keep soldier so close.

Christenson really feel this in his heart. The little band he is in, is precious to him, and wouldn't have given it, not for the world. So, he continued his route, with his comrades. Ready to give his life for them.

They were going ahead in the long street, killing the german soldiers that went out of the buildings. The man just in front of him collapsed, there was a whole in his elmet. Christenson aimed his gun towards where the shot came from and started to fire towards it. Then he felt a warm hand on his right shoulder that pulled him towards the wall. It was Woodrow Robbins, a very close friend of him, they were together since Normandy and had never let the other.

"Jesus, are you crazy, you were too exposed." Robbins yelled at him furious. He had been scared when he saw him in the middle of the street. "Are you trying to kill yourself?"

A slight smile appeared on Christenson's face, even if war was hell, it had a good side, the part of the war that not any civilian know.

Then he was pulled out of his thoughts as the machine gun started firing again. Bullets were perforing the ground and the walls around them, making this particular sound. Even if the Germans weren't as many as them, they had a quite big strenght with their machine guns at every corner of the streets, making the advance of the American troops more difficult.

Going with Robbins, Christenson ran towards the house where the shots came from and neutralized the machine gun. Just remembering what they were taught.

They went out of the building, sounds of guns still being heard from the street. Just when they came out of it, Christenson heard a gun firing and his friend collapsed, blood comming out of his chest.

"Robbins!" The paratroopers shouted as he realized his comrade had been hit. He bent down and looked Woodrow in the eyes. His eyes were reflecting the fear and the pain he was feeling. "Hand in there, okay?" Christenson told him gently, trying to keep him calm. Even if Robbins couldn't really see it, his fellow soldier was really afraid and his heart was beating fast.

"Shifty!" Called Christenson as the paratrooper was passing in the street, his M-1 in the hands. Powers looked around, trying to figured out where the call came from. Then he saw Christenson, holding Robbins. As soon as he noticed the wounded soldier he ran towards them.

"Help me. We have to find a medic." Christenson said as he tried to set Robbins up.

He and Shifty held Robbins to the back and tried to find a medic. But the street behind were almost emptied of soldiers or medics in good condition.

"Okay, shhh. Just calm down..." A reassuring voice said not far from the three paratroopers. When they heard the person, they immediatly recognized Eugene Roe. The medic always knew how to speak to the wounded soldiers, to reassure them, to calm them down. All of the company had always thought highly of him, he was a really good medic, he knew what he had to do and do it well.

As the wounded soldier heard Doc's words he started to calm down, slowly, his features looked more peaceful.

Then Eugene turned his head towards the three paratroopers as he heard the sound of their boots hitting the floor near him. His eyes focussed on the injured one, Robbins. "Okay, bring him here." He told Christenson and Shifty who listened to him and approached.

Doc examined the wound on Woodrow's chest, and put a bandage on. He was very calm, and professional, not even caring about the sounds of the battle not far from here. He looked up towards Christenson and Shifty who hadn't moved and stood up. "Help me bring them back." He said and took the other soldier's arm. The two para nodded and helped him.

The biggest part of the strategy consisted of little squad which were ordered to clean the houses, all the houses. One of them was composed of Liebgott, Popeye and McClung. After cleaning one of the houses, they left it and were back in the street. Liebgott looked at his right and turned the corner, his two comrades following him closely. When they finally arrived at the end of the little alley and stepped in the next street, Liebgott ran into a German soldier who was running behind his comrades. The paratrooper saw at first the long and black coat that characterized so much the Krauts, and then he looked up and met the German eyes who was looking back at him with the same look. He wasn't even older than him, and that was the more petrifying.

The two of them took their rifle as fast as they could but the first gun shot came from behind Liebgott, and the soldier collapsed, dead. Popeye by passed Liebgott and looked at the German, the bullet passed right between the eyes. 'Nice shot' he thought. Joe sighed in relieved, it had been close, very close. He looked up and saw only Popeye, he turned his head to see if McClung was still following them. He was just behind him.

The divisions of the Wehrmacht were now starting to pull out towards Rachamps, across the snowy meadows. In the hurry, they left lots of wounded soldiers in the devasted street of Noville. But the sounds of gun shots, grenades' blasts, bazookas and mortar launched were still being heard until the night. When only a little beam of the sun was lighting the streets of the city, just a few snipers were still trying to stop the American troops, but were quickly killed.

Cobb, Garcia and Hashey were sitting on the grey and white pavement, in front of a shop that had been months ago a pharmacy. Then, Luz, Perconte and Skinny joined them as they passed by. "Hey guys." Luz said with a slight smile as he sat down, a little bit tired.

"So, how're you doing?" Perconte asked, sitting next to Luz, and putting down his M-1. He was, as for him, very hungry. And everybody could tell so as they heard his stomach complained in a loud sound.

Then, Garcia seeked for something in his backpack, and take something out, which looked like something rather edible. "Maybe you'd like this?" He proposed sympathetically.

"Hallelujah! You're reading my thoughts!" He exclaimed at the view of food. He took it and said a quick thank you, before engulfing it. This could seem pretty strange for a civilian, but here they all knew that food was still rare even after some few supplies of food.

Cobb and Hashey were still quiet, deep in thoughts. Some of them could hide their relieved or stop thinking about what had just happened, like Perconte or Luz, they were also veterans. But it's always difficult to start to speak happily, as if nothing happened. Those memories still flash nowaday in the veterans minds. They follow them, everywhere they are, whenever it is, they are there. It's like the scar you wear, but more painfully it remind you it's still there. Even for the ones like Perconte and Luz.

Now that it was finish, that they had finally taken Noville from the German, the fear that had threatened them all along the battle, had disappeared, but with it, it had carried away some of their friends and brothers. Being soldier is a great experience but the bad sides of it isn't only the physical pain, or the fear you feel, it's also the sore of loosing your comrades, the one you fought for, the one you could have given your life for, but sometimes you fail and you feel so guilty that it wounds you so deep in your spirit that it makes you sick. The feeling of having done this for nothing.

Skinny sighed, looking at his hands that were slightly shaking. It was because of the cold, but also because of the fight he had been in too. He looked up and tried to forget it. "Luz, do you know what we're doing next?" He asked, hoping that they were finally leaving the front.

"Nope, sorry, I didn't hear anything." He answered seriously. Then a smile crossed his face as he saw sergeant Talbert walking nearby. A little bandage was covering his left arm. "Lucky or bad luck this time?"

"I would say lucky, it had just brushed my arm." Floyd responded with a big smile. "And I wasn't with Smith." And everybody laughed. That was really great to laugh after everything they've been through today. This great feeling of happiness that submerged them, even for a few minutes, it was a real relief.

Lipton was sitting on a bench, on the pavement. It was quite unbelievable that it was still there, after all the bombing that had suffered the city, it was still standing here. Bravely, it hadn't gave up and wasn't going to be destroy now. Just like all of the soldiers, the men of the Easy Company had been through this battle and hadn't gave up, and now they knew they would do their best to stand until the end of the war. That was the thoughts that were running through Lipton's mind. A little smile appeared on his lips.

Having done it made them proud but above all, hope was still in them, the hope of going home alive, it had even grew higher. In spite of the sacrifices given, the physical and moral pains, they were still there, together.

**The End**


End file.
